Flag pole combination

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to a flag pole with means for supporting a flag thereon and control means swivelly attached to the flag pole which allows the flag to be blown from side to side by the wind but prevents it from wrapping around the flag pole. The pole is preferably provided with stop means which limits the extent to which the control means can be swivelled from side to side.

United States Patent 1191.

Merryweather June 28, 1974 FLAG POLE COMBINATION 982,645 1/1911 Suhr116/174 Inventor: Gerald -w 3120 1,283,136 10/1918 Foulkes 116/174 g sggg B0188 Primary ExaminerLouis J. Capozi [22] Filed: May 14, 1973 [57]ABSTRACT [21] Appl" The invention relates to a flag pole with means forsupporting a flag thereon and control means swivelly [52] US. Cl.116/174 attached to the g p e hich allows the flag to be 51 1m. (:1.G09f 17/00 blown m Side to Side y the wind but Prevents it [58] Field ofSearch 116/173, 174, 175 from pp around the flag pole- The P is P erablyprovided with stop means which limits the ex- 5 References i d tent towhich the control means can be swivelled from UNITED STATES PATENTS sldeto slde' 634,140 10/1899 Hart 1. 1 16/174 6 Claims, 5 Drawing FiguresPATENTEDJUH28 1914 3020.500

' sum 2 0F 2 FIG. 5

1 FLAG POLE COMBINATION The invention relates to a flag pole withcontrol means for preventing a flag supported by the pole, when blown bythe wind, from wrapping around the pole. The pole is preferably providedwith stop means which limits the extent to which the control means canswing from side to side.

The control means for preventing the flag from wrapping around the poleextends down .both sides of the flag and is preferably swivellysupported by the pole. In

a preferred form, thiscontrol means comprises a bent, stifi' wire withopposite ends on opposite sides of the flag and these ends are heldsubstantially constantly spaced. As the flag is blown to one side or theother, it swings the bent wire with it. It is advantageous to providestop means to prevent the bent wire from being lifted further than alimited angle to either side of the vertical.

The invention is further described in connection with the accompanyingdrawings, in which:

FIG. 1 shows, in perspective, a flag supported from a pole with thecontrol means attached to the pole;

FIG. 2 is a side view on an enlarged scale showing only a limitedportion of the flag;

FIG. 3 is a section'through the pole showing the flag with stop meansshown in full lines and showing control means in a vertical position infull lines and also in dotted lines at an angle on each side of thepole; the arms of the control means being fore-shortened;

FIG. 4 is a bottom view of the pole without the flag; and

' FIG. 5 is a top'view without the flag, showing the control means mavertical position, and stop means in full lines for limiting theextentto which the control means can be lifted by the flag.

The flag 5 may be any flag. It is shown as rectangular, but this is notessential. The flag is shown as being supported from the pole by thehooks 6 but any means for supporting the flag may be employed. The poleis shown as extending horizontally but it may be at an angle; but thecontrol is not designed for use on a pole that is vertical or nearlyvertical.

The control means 7 is composed of a wire bent to form two elongatedarms 8 which extend down on each side of the flag and are united abovein a suitable man ner to accommodate the pole. The two arms 8 are unitedby an arch which is broad enough to permit the control means to swingabout the pole when the flag pushes it to one side or the other. A boltextends down through the pole 11 and preferably at the under side isprovided with a washer l3 and under it a nut 14 which is tightened tohold the stop means 15 between it and the washer. The control means 7hangs loosely through the loop 16 of the cotter pin 17 so that it canswivel from side to side as the flag is blown against it. The controlmeans prevents the flag from wrapping around the pole. The control means7 can be easily disengaged from the pole when the pole is not in'use,and stop means 15 can be removed by simply loosening the nut 14.

The ends of the stop means 15 are bent over to form arms 20 as shown inFIGS. 4 and 5 to prevent the control means from being lifted away fromthe vertical to a larger angle than desired, on either side of the pole.These arms are supported by portions 21 which rise vertically from theportions 22 which extend out vertically from the pole.

The members 8 extend down over the sides of the flag a sufficientdistance to prevent the flag from being wrapped up around the pole.Usually they will extend at least one-half the way down the length ofthe flag and may extend further.

For a large flag it is desirable to duplicate the control means and thestop means so that there is a control near each vertical edge of theflag.

The drawings are illustrative and any other suitable means for carryingout the purpose of the invention may be employed.

I claim:

1. A flag pole adapted for the support of a flag, with control meansrotatably engaged with the pole, which means extend over each side ofthe position a flag would occupy when supported by the pole so as toprevent the flag from being blown up over the pole from either sidethereof, and stop means fastened to the pole which permits limitedmovement of the control means and limits the angle within which thecontrol means can rotate.

2. The combination of claim 1 in which the stop means comprises an armon each side of the pole located substantially in a plane with the poleat the positions the control means would occupy when rotated to themaximum angle permitted on each side of the pole.

3. The combination of claim 1 in which the portions of the control meanswhich extend over the position a flag would occupy, are substantiallystraight and are engaged with one another so as to remain substantiallyparallel to one another when the flag is blown to one side of the poleof the other.

4. The combination of claim 3 in whichthe control means is a bent wire.

5. The combination of claim 3 in which the stop means is a wire withextending arms which are substantially parallel, the ends of the wirebeing bent back on themselves to prevent snagging the flag.

6. The combination of a flag pole with a flag mounted in extendedposition thereon, with control means rotatably engaged about the pole,which control means comprises two arms which extend down on each side ofthe flag and are united at the top by an arch located over the pole sothat the control means can rotate on the pole when the flag is blown bythe wind, and stop means fastened to the pole which includes (1) armswith substantially parallel portions and located outside of the controlmeans in a plane with the pole which limit the extent to which thecontrol means can be rotated on each side of the pole, (2) portionswhich extend substantially perpendicular from the pole on each sidethereof and (3) vertical portions which connect the arms to saidportions which extend substantially vertically from the pole.

1. A flag pole adapted for the support of a flag, with control meansrotatably engaged with the pole, which means extend over each side ofthe position a flag would occupy when supported by the pole so as toprevent the flag from being blown up over the pole from either sidethereof, and stop means fastened to the pole which permits limitedmovement of the control means and limits the angle within which thecontrol means can rotate.
 2. The combination of claim 1 in which thestop means comprises an arm on each side of the pole locatedsubstantially in a plane with the pole at the positions the controlmeans would occupy when rotated to the maximum angle permitted on eachside of the pole.
 3. The combination of claim 1 in which the portions ofthe control means which extend over the position a flag would occupy,are substantially straight and are engaged with one another so as toremain substantially parallel to one another when the flag is blown toone side of the pole of the other.
 4. The combination of claim 3 inwhich the control means is a bent wire.
 5. The combination of claim 3 inwhich the stop means is a wire with extending arms which aresubstantially parallel, the ends of the wire being bent back onthemselves to prevent snagging the flag.
 6. The combination of a flagpole with a flag mounted in extended position thereon, with controlmeans rotatably engaged about the pole, which control means comprisestwo arms which extend down on each side of the flag and are united atthe top by an arch located over the pole so that the control means canrotate on the pole when the flag is blown by the wind, and stop meansfastened to the pole which includes (1) arms with substantially parallelportions and located outside of the control means in a plane with thepole which limit the extent to which the control means can be rotated oneach side of the pole, (2) portions which extend substantiallyperpendicular from the pole on each side thereof and (3) verticalportions which connect the arms to said portions which extendsubstantially vertically from the pole.